Top suspension vaporizer unit



July 17, 1956 R. R. FISHER, sR., ETAL 2,755,372

TOP SUSPENSION VAPORIZER UNIT Filed Oct. 22, '1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m E 20 4o 38 3? 38 O July 1956 R. R. FISHER, sR.. ETAL 2,755,372

TOP SUSPENSION VAPORIZER UNIT Filed Oct. 22, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fi s INVENTOR. R0) 1?. FAY/IE1? an! A TTORA/AYS United States Patent TOP SUSPENSION VAPORIZER UNIT Roy Robert Fisher, Sr., and Frank T. Hawke, Paris, Ky., assignors to Electric Steam Radiator Corporation, Paris, Ky, a corporation of Kentucky Application October 22, 1954, Serial No. 463,852

4 Claims. (Cl. 219-40) This invention relates to water vaporizing units, sometimes called steam Vaporizers. They are provided primarily for the production of steam for the treatment of head and chest congestion due to irritations set up by colds and other bronchial disturbances caused by asthmatic conditions and croup.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a heating device which has certain improved features over devices which are presently patented and on the market. Safety is a prime factor inasmuch as the devices are frequently used in sick rooms and for the treatment of children. Efficiency is also an important factor since the so-called steam-time, that is the time required to get steam after a plug-in, should be as short as possible and the continuing efllciency should be as high as possible.

The present invention contemplates the use of a traysupported bottle of relatively wide diameter with respect to the height to provide stability and the use of a topsupported electrode combination with the electrical power connection and the steam outlet combined in the head.

It is a further object to provide a construction in which the produced steam is passed over the surface of the water being heated before emission from the unit. This has the function of insuring that the steam will at all times be wet steam, and it also provides for a pre-heating of the main water supply to increase the efliciency of the device. In addition, it equalizes pressure on the main water body and the confined water body within the heating chamber, thus avoiding any pressure projection of the liquid which might cause harmful injury or damage to surrounding furniture and equipment.

Other objects and features of the invention relating to the details of construction and operation will be apparent in the following description and claims.

Drawings accompany the invention, and the various views thereof may be briefly described as:

Figure 1, a plan view of the construction.

Figure 2, a sectional view on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3, a sectional view on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4, a sectional view on line 44 of Figure 1.

Figures 5- and 6, sectional views on lines 55 and 6-6 of Figure 3.

Figure 7, a view of a modified construction for use with attached lead wires rather than a removable plug.

Figure 8, a view illustrating the manner in which one heating unit can be used with diiferent size containers.

Referring to the drawings, a molded base 10 formed of plastic has a cylindrical recess for receiving the bottom of a water receptacle 12. The base 10 has a flange 14 spaced from the bottom to permit ease of handling of the unit. The base is preferably an insulating material which will protect the surface of any supporting device for the vaporizer. The top of the container 12, which is preferably formed of glass or an insulating plastic, is provided with a threaded opening 16 which co-operates with a threaded metal ring 18 associated with a head portion 20 of a vaporizer unit. A sealing gasket 22 can be used at the top edge of the bottle.

The main unit 20 is preferably molded from a non-conductive plastic material and has a double receptacle top portion extending above an outer flange 24 which supports the unit. Below the flange portion 24 is a cylindrical heat chamber unit 26 which depends into the container 12. The top portion of the unit is outlined by cylindrical walls 30 and 32 and a septum wall 34.

As viewed in Figure 1, a recess 36 within wall 32 is provided to receive and protect prong units 38 which are insertable into an electric outlet, such as commonly used for electric irons and other similar utilities. Boss formations 40 in the recess 36 are provided with tapped holes for a purpose to be later described. Within wall 30, a recess 44 is formed which may be used to contain a medicament which is sometimes used with these devices, such as menthol crystals or other prepared solutions or mixtures.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4, in the corners of recess 44 is formed a small housing 50 which connects with the interior of the receptacle 12 at the bottom and which is tapered at 52 to provide an outlet wall in which is formed a horizontally disposed opening 54 which projects steam horizontally across the chamber 44 spaced from the bottom. Steam thus projected will pick up the vapors of any medicament that is contained in recess 44 and pass to the atmosphere of the room. 1

Studs 38 are held in place by bolts 60 which also transfix and are connected to the L-shaped electrodes 62 having foot portions 64 held against the heads 66 of the bolts 60, thus forming an electrical contact with the conductive bolts 60 and the electrical connection studs 38. The bolts also hold in place a disk 68 having a diametrical spacer projection 70. Spacing and sealing washers 72 and 74 also surround the bolts 60, spacing the disk 68 from the bottom 78 of recess 36. The lower portion 26 of the heating unit is a substantially cylindrical wall having thickened portions 80 diametrically opposed for rigidity and to receive screws as later described. The walls of this portion 26 are open at the top in two ports 82 and 84 to permit passage of created steam to the outside of unit 26.

The bottom of the depending column member 26 is closed by an apertured cap held in place by screws 92 going into the portions 80. This cap or bottom plate 90 is provided with a central opening 94 to permit water to enter the space between the electrodes 62. The top surface of plate 90 is provided with locating bosses 96 of symmetrical construction at each end and also some studs 98 which serve similarly to locate the ends of the electrodes 62. Spacer projections 100 between the electrodes also serve to locate the ends of the electrodes without blocking the flow of fluid from the container 12 into the heating chamber 26.

In Figure 7, a construction similar to that shown in Figure 2 in the head of the unit is illustrated, with the exception that on the bolts of Figure 7 fastening nuts 112 are applied to lock all the parts in place. Nuts 114 may then be applied against nuts 112 to hold suitable connecting wires 116 leading from a suitable wall plug unit not shown. The bosses 40 shown in Figure 1 are used for the fastening of a cover disk 120 to partially cover the recess 36.

In the operation of the device, water supply in the container 12 will flow into the heating chamber 26 and cause a conductive resistance connection between electrodes 62 subject to a voltage. The water, having slight impurities, will create a resistance and the development of heat which transforms the water into steam and passes it out of chamber 26 to the top of the bottle 12 above the main liquid supply. There, the vapors from the main water supply will mix with the steam and pass into the housing 50 and out of the outlet 54 through the -W. VIM,

chamber'or recess 44. With this arrangement there is no opportunity for any pressure to develop in any chamber of the device, and there can be a free and steady flow of steam from the housing 50 with no danger of spitting or pressure emission of any liquid.

The basic heating unit may be used with enlarged capacity containers as illustrated in Figure 8, where in addition to the container 12, there is shown a container 12' and 12", each larger than the former but maintaining the same relationship to the electrode unit. It is to be noted that the liquid displacement of the heating unit remains constant regardless of the size of the container. Also, the stability of the device actually increases with its size, which is an added advantage.

We claim:

1. In a steam generator for household or clinical use in the treatment of respiratory afflictions and of the type in which a pair of electrodes depend into a body of water which comprises an open top receptacle for receiving water, a cover for said receptacle comprising a molded unit having two open-topped chambers on one side thereof and one open-topped chamber on the bottom thereof, one of said top chambers having walls higher than the other of said top chambers, spaced, upstanding electrical connector prongs mounted in the base of one of said open-topped chambers, electrodes in said bottom chamber comprising L-shaped metal plates having the foot portions mounted adjacent said cover member, conductive means transfixing said foot portions and anchored in said electrical connector means, the leg portions of said elecetrodes extending downwardly in said bottom chamber to a point adjacent the open end thereof, and closure means at said open end having recesses therein to receive and space said leg portions of said electrodes and having apertures therein to permit the entrance of Water from said receptacle to said bottom chamber.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which the walls of said bottom chamber are provided with openings adjacent the top of said receptacle to permit the passage of steam from said bottom chamber to the top of said receptacle and an opening at one side of said second open-topped chamber in communication with the top of said receptacle to permit the passage of steam from said receptacle across said second open-topped chamber.

3. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which the open end of said bottom chamber is closed by an apertured plate having inwardly extending bosses spaced thereon projecting into said chamber positioned to receive and space the ends of the legs of said electrodes.

4. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which there is interposed between the foot portions of said electrode members and the bottom of said first open-topped chamber, a non-conductive mounting plate and sealing disks, said mounting plate and said disks being transfixed by said conductive means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,981,765 Weiss Nov. 20, 1934 2,152,157 Sittler et al Mar. 28, 1939 2,533,794 Hanks et al Dec. 12, 1950 2,690,499 Katzman Sept. 28, 1954 

